Lifestyle – With summer in full swing, it is only natural that many articles about Italy this week have been lifestyle oriented, starting with food & drink. The New York Times suggested readers might like to try some very promising white wines that come from the slopes of Mt. Etna (July 14 – From Etna and the Salty Sea, a White of Great Potential*) and also had some addresses to pass on for those wanting to eat Italian food in New York (July 15 – Review: Modern on the Rails Brings Italian to a 19th-Century Station*). Spain’s El Mundo ran a piece about Rosario Nicodemo and the “scented pistacchio” he presented at the 8th edition of the Valencia Gelato Festival (July 19 – ‘Pestacchio Perfumado’ y ‘Dulce de Cookies’ ganadores del Gelato Festival 2016), whilst le Nouvel Observateur commented on the pizza “comeback” now in full swing (July 17 – Tendence food: la pizza revient en force).
Italian cuisine, moreover, might be one of the secrets to a long life. Research under way by a British bio-tech company has just purchased a DNA databank compiled in Ogliastra in Sardinia – an area with a higher than usual number of centenarians – hoping it will reveal the genetic secret to longevity (Financial Times, July 18 – Biotech dives into Sardinia gene pool for secret of long life*; The Guardian, July 19 –UK firm buys Sardinian DNA samples for research into disease and ageing).
Tourism – Another popular subject at this time of the year this week brought yet more suggestions and ideas that involved some of the most beautiful destinations in Italy. Photos posted on Instagram – evocative views of Tuscany and Le Marche, featured in a piece in The Guardian (July 13 – Instagram snapshots: Pier Luigi Aldinucci in central Italy) while Time published the amazing, contest winning photograph of Assisi and the Basilica of St. Francis rising from the fog (July 18 – This Is the Coolest Drone Photo in the World). In an article exploring some of Europe’s most fascinating libraries, the Wall Street Journal suggested visiting the Giorgio Cini Foundation in Venice (July 19 – Bibliotourism: Memorable Rare-Book Troves). The Washington Post dusted off and proposed classic tips on how not to miss “the best of Florence” (July 19 – Galleries to gelato: Best of Florence).whereas, Spain’s Expansión featured an article aimed at “those unable to set aside a fascination for design even when on holiday”, suggesting a stay in one of the hotels in the Preferred Hotels & Resorts Collection, the Casa sull’Albero on Lake Como (July 19 – Villas de diseño en el Lago Como).
*Article available for pay / at registration